Four records broken at 41st National Junior Athletics Championships in Chennai
Synopsis
Four records — two national, two meet — fell in a single day at the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships in Chennai. Telangana's Lodenge Ramu erased an eleven-year-old U18 400m national record, while Rajasthan's Chuki Birda cleared a new women's U20 pole vault national best. The depth on display signals a generational shift in Indian junior track and field.
Key Takeaways
Four records — two national and two meet — were broken on Day 2 of the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 in Chennai .
Lodenge Ramu (Telangana) clocked 46.80 seconds in the men's U18 400m , erasing Chandan Bauri's national record of 46.99s that had stood since 2015 .
Chuki Birda (Rajasthan) cleared 3.91m in the women's U20 pole vault to better Vanshika Ghanghas's national record of 3.90m .
Tanu Chaudhary (Uttar Pradesh) set a new meet record of 53.40 seconds in the women's U18 400m .
Tharanesh C (Tamil Nadu) threw 17.86m in the boys' U16 shot put to surpass Nitesh Kumar's national mark of 17.42m set in 2024 .
Lodenge Ramu of Telangana, Tanu Chaudhary of Uttar Pradesh, Chuki Birda of Rajasthan, and Tharanesh C of Tamil Nadu rewrote the record books on the second day of the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on 24 October 2026. A total of four records — two national and two meet — were erased across track and field disciplines at one of India's premier junior athletics platforms.
Ramu Erases a Decade-Old National Record
Lodenge Ramu delivered the day's headline performance, clocking 46.80 seconds in the men's U18 400m to claim gold and shatter a decade-old national record. The previous mark of 46.99 seconds had been held by Chandan Bauri since 2015. The erstwhile meet record of 47.48 seconds, set only last year by Sayed Sabeer, was also swept aside by Ramu's dominant run. Notably, his improvement of nearly two-tenths of a second on a record that had stood for eleven years underlines the depth emerging from Telangana's athletics programme.
Chaudhary and Birda Add to the Record Haul
In the women's U18 400m, Tanu Chaudhary crossed the line in 53.40 seconds to better the meet record of 53.85 seconds set by Jisna Mathew in 2015. The Uttar Pradesh sprinter's gold-medal run signals a promising trajectory for one of India's most competitive U18 women's events.
Chuki Birda made her mark in the women's U20 pole vault, clearing 3.91m to surpass Vanshika Ghanghas's national record of 3.90m set just last year. The previous meet record of 3.80m, held by Karthika V, also fell in the process — a double breakthrough that cements Birda's arrival on the national stage.
Tharanesh Sets New Boys' U16 Shot Put Benchmark
Tharanesh C of Tamil Nadu produced a gold-winning throw of 17.86m in the boys' U16 shot put, eclipsing Nitesh Kumar's previous national mark of 17.42m set in 2024. Competing on home soil in Chennai, Tharanesh's performance is the most recent in a recent run of Tamil Nadu field athletes announcing themselves at the national level.
Day 2 Results at a Glance
Beyond the record-breaking performances, Vaibhav Bhardwaj of Uttar Pradesh won the men's U20 400m in 47.45 seconds, ahead of Raj Chauhan (Maharashtra, 47.64s) and Thanish Gaddam (Maharashtra, 47.68s). Jithin RC of Tamil Nadu topped the men's U20 long jump with 7.64m. In throws, Devansh Jagga of Punjab won the men's U20 discus with 55.35m, while Uttar Pradesh swept the podium in the men's U20 hammer throw — Kartik leading with 67.54m. Jakhar Rahul of Gujarat claimed the men's U20 decathlon title with 7,125 points.
On the women's side, Tahura Khatun of West Bengal won the women's U20 400m in 54.64 seconds. In the girls' U16 shot put, Tejaswini G Rao of Karnataka topped the field at 13.48m. The boys' U14 triathlon A was won by Saurav Bind of Uttar Pradesh with 2,195 points, while Meera Bobal of Delhi took the girls' U14 triathlon A with 2,617 points.
What This Signals for Indian Junior Athletics
The four records in a single day at the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships reflect the growing competitive intensity at the junior level — a crucial pipeline for India's senior international programme. With the meet continuing at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, further records and standout performances are expected in the days ahead.
Point of View
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu all producing record-setters on the same day, suggesting the talent pipeline is no longer concentrated in traditional athletics hubs. The long-standing U18 400m national record from 2015 surviving until now also reveals how rare genuine breakthroughs have been — making Ramu's margin of improvement all the more significant. Indian Athletics Federation and state associations would do well to track these athletes' transition to senior competition, where the historical attrition rate remains a concern.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many records were broken on Day 2 of the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships?
Four records — two national records and two meet records — were broken on Day 2 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on 24 October 2026. The record-breakers were Lodenge Ramu, Chuki Birda, Tanu Chaudhary, and Tharanesh C.
What national record did Lodenge Ramu break?
Lodenge Ramu of Telangana ran 46.80 seconds in the men's U18 400m, breaking Chandan Bauri's national record of 46.99 seconds that had stood since 2015. The previous meet record of 47.48 seconds, set last year by Sayed Sabeer, also fell.
Who broke the women's U20 pole vault national record?
Chuki Birda of Rajasthan cleared 3.91m to surpass Vanshika Ghanghas's national record of 3.90m set last year. She also broke the previous meet record of 3.80m, held by Karthika V.
What is the significance of the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships?
The 41st National Junior Athletics Championships is one of India's premier junior athletics competitions, serving as a key talent identification platform for the senior national programme. The meet is being held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai in October 2026.
Which state produced the most record-setters on Day 2?
Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu each contributed one record-setter — Tanu Chaudhary in the women's U18 400m and Tharanesh C in the boys' U16 shot put, respectively. Telangana's Lodenge Ramu and Rajasthan's Chuki Birda completed the four-record haul.
